Machine for rolling and wrapping newspapers, periodicals and the like



Nov. 19,1957

. G. A. KERR MACHINE FOR ROLLING AND WRAPPING NEWSPAPERS, PERIODICALSAND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 24. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l 32 V INVENTOR GILBERTARMSTRONG KERR ,4 BVMWM ATTORNEYS Nov. 19, 1957 G. A. KERR 2,813,386

MACHINE FOR ROLLING AND WRAPPING NEWSPAPERS, PERIODICALS AND THE LIKEFiled Nov. 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 G/LBERTARMSTR0 G KfR/P 75 yATTORNEYS 2,813,386 Patented Nov. 19, 1957 nice Gilbert Armstrong Kerr,Scarborough, Western Australia, Australia Application November 24, 1954,Serial No. 471,054

8 Claims. (Cl. 53-119) This invention relates to a machine for rollingand wrapping newspapers, periodicals and the like.

In using this machine, the papers are fed one by one and they areautomatically rolled and, if wrapping paper is fed in, wrapped with thisandfinally discharged.

A salient feature of the invention resides in the use of sliding pins orrods which move in from each side, and rotated, roll the paper against aplurality of surrounding and resiliently mounted rollers in two sets,the wrapping paper, if fed in, being simultaneously rolled so thatadhesion of the moistened end completes the wrapping.

The invention will more readily be understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings illustrating it to some extent diagrammatically.As shown in these drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine from the back;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of most of the operating parts ofthe machine;

Fig. 3 is a similar view except that for the sake of clearness a numberof the operating parts have been left out. This view is introduced toshow the position of the rollers when the rolled and wrapped paper isdischarged;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation through a pair of the driving pins orrollers and the means for mounting and driving the same;

Fig. 5 is a half sectional end elevation thereof;

Fig. 6 is a plan thereof;

Fig. 7 illustrates the lost motion arrangement in the one position, and

Fig. 8 is a view of the lost motion arrangement in the other position.

As shown in the drawings, the machine has a frame with vertical sidemembers 10 and 11. There is a sprocket 12 driven from a convenientsource of power, and on each side of this sprocket in the center thereis a doublesided cam 13. Mounted on the same shaft is another cam 14.There is also a sprocket 15 on the same shaft which drives aone-revolution clutch 16 which will be associated with the supply andfeed of the adhesive paper the mechanism of which can be of any desiredform and is not directly the subject of any of the claims in thisspecification.

On each side of the machine are roller-supporting brackets 17 and 18.These act as supports and provide the bearings for two sets of inwardlyfacing circumferentially spaced rollers 19. Each bracket 18 is pivotedto one end of a supporting link 20 whereas each bracket 17 is similarlypivoted to the end of another supporting link 21. The far ends of theselinks are provided at 22 and 23, but they are not capable of any up ordown movement.

There are control links 24 and 25, the ends of which are also pivoted tothe brackets 17 and 1S, and these control links are pivoted to the endsof cranked levers 26 and 27 that in turn are operated by drag links 28and 29. These drag links in turn are pivoted to a camcontrolled level-30having a bearing roller 31 pivoted at 32 and at the end having a deadweight 33 to give stability. Operating on the supporting links 20 and 21is a springloaded bolt 34 which tends resiliently to bring these linkstogether at thebottom and so of course bring the two sets of rollers 19near to each other.

The crank lever 27 has an extension 35 which is pivoted to a feedcontrol rod 36. This in turn has springloading and acts on a housing 37supporting'a holding roller 38. The housing 37 of the holding roller 38engages against the spring loading of a control rod 39 ofa feed rollerill supported in a housing 41.

There are continuously driven rollers 42 and 43 which are in line withthe feed roller 40 and holding roller 38 respectively and actually drivethese rollers when they are brought into juxtaposition therewith withthe paper or the like between them. Pivoted on each side of the housingof the feed roller 4t} is a pawl 44 below which there are stops thatprevent the feed roller coming down when the pawls are in the positionshown in Fig. 2. These pawls however are each connected by a link to acrank lever 45 and this in turn is operated by a link 46 pivotedintermediate of the ends of a trip lever 47. This trip lever isspring-loaded and in the position shown in Fig. 2, it is held by aninterlocking lever 48. This interlocking lever is pivoted and at itsupper end it is connected to an interlocking disc 49 or the like.

The table on which the papers are placed and fed is indicated at El),this table being of course slotted so as to expose the upper part of thecontinuously rotating rollers 42 and 43, and the table extends to achute 51 into which the papers pass.

There will be a roll of gumm-ed wrapping paper 52 which feeds into thebottom of the chute by mechanism for cutting it off in appropriatelengths and inoistening the gum at one end, such mechanism being of anydesired form but not being the subject of any special claim in thisspecification. It may, however, conveniently be controlled by theone-revolution clutch 16 on the latter being released from the triplever 47.

On'each side between the two sets of rollers 19 operate rotating pins orrods 53 and 54. These each somewhat resemble the prongs of theconventional clothes pegs. They extend to be one unit to a pin 55carrying doublecollar thrust plates. The cross section of a pair of pinsis somewhat similar to a dumbbell or magneto armature.

Each unit passes through a housing 56 connected to the side frame andhaving a double set of ball bearings therein. A sleeve passing throughthe housing and the ball bearings is connected on one side to brackets57 and 58 carrying double-row rigid bearings that engage the pin units.On the other side the sleeve is connected to a sprocket or chain pinion59 and to this in turn are connected brackets as and 61 also havingdouble-row rigid bearings. The pin units can therefore rotate togetherwith the double-row rigid bearings supported by the brackets 57, 5'8, soand 61, but they can also move transversely in relation thereto. Wherethe pins pass beyond the rigid hearings on the inner side they willpreferably pass through a facing plate 62 which is constructed closelyto conform to the outline of the pins so as to prevent paper from beingdrawn in and entangled with the bearings.

Associated with the double-sided cam 13 there is on each side a thrustroller 63 or as. These are connected to sliding blocks 65 and 66 in turnconnected to thrust rods 67 and 63. These thrust rods are pivoted tolinks 69 and 7% which are spring-loaded to hold them against the actionof the thrust rods 67 and 68. Such links at the end have means forconnection to the pins 55 carrying the double thrust collars at the endsof the pin units.

The lower part of the links 69 and 79 are cranked and extend to an endwhere they are respectively connected to lost motion control arms 71 and72. These lost motion control arms are pivoted to the ends of a lever 73that carries a roller 74 that is adapted to engage against the chaindriving the sprocket 59 of the pin units. There is another lever 75above the chain supporting another roller 76, spring-loaded so as toengage against the upper part of the said chain. The effect is thatthrough the up and down movement of the lost motion control arms 71 and72, the slack in the chain driving the pin units is taken up at the topas shown in Fig. 7, or at the bottom as shown in Fig. 8, the positionshown in Fig. 7 being that in which the pins are in position, and thatshown in Fig. 8 being the position in which the pins have beenwithdrawn.

When the apparatus is to be used for rolling bound periodicals or thelike, it will be advisable to have a tray 77 supported at the bottom ofthe brackets supporting one set of rollers so that the end of theperiodical is supported therein whilst being rolled.

The machine operates as follows.

A newspaper or periodical is placed on the table 50 so that at the sideit passes against the interlocking disc 49. This moves the interlockinglever 48 and conse quently unlocks the trip lever 47. The paper is moveduntil the front part of it is beneath the feed roller 40. When theroller 31 of the cam lever 30 moves into the low part of the cam, asshown in Fig. 3, the drag link 29 is pulled down. This operates thecrank lever 27 and its extension 35 which is pivoted to the feed controlrod 36, which is thereby moved up. This upward movement is communicatedto the housing 37 of the holding roller 38 and to the control rod 39 ofthe feed roller 40 which is consequently moved down and engages thepaper which thereby comes under the driving impetus of the rollers 40and42 and is moved on.

When the front end of the paper has reached a posi tion between theroller 43 and the holding roller 38, the cam control lever 30 is movedso that its roller is riding on the high part of the cam 14.Consequently the drag link 29 is moved in the opposite direction andthis results in the feed control rod 36 causing the holding roller 38 tobe brought down and to engage the paper whilst the feed roller 4'0 issimultaneously lifted and released therefrom. The paper then movesdownwardly into the chute 51 between the two sets of rollers 19supported by the brackets 17 and 18 and when it has reached the positionwhen its center is about in line with the pins, the top end is stillheld between the rollers 38 and 43. At this position the pins 53 and 54,which are simultaneously and continuously rotating, come in, one pairfrom each side. This inner movement of the pins is modified by the lostmotion mechanism previously referred to. The effect of this is thatthere is a short pause in the rotation of these pins so that the spacebetween them is correctly orientated in relation to the paper on eachside of which the pins are to pass. The pins thereupon commence to rollthe paper up and the spring-loading of the two sets of rollers hold themtightly but resiliently against the paper being rolled.

When the paper has been rolled about one turn, the feed mechanismoperating the supply of wrapping paper from the roller 52 willpreferably be started so that it is rolled up with and around the paperand, if the extreme edge is moistened, will firmly hold the rolled papertogether. Whilst the paper has been rolled (in all, about five turns),the pins have been slowly withdrawn until they are right clear of thewrapped paper, which is then only held by the rollers supported by thebrackets 17 and 18 on each side. By this time, however, the roller 31-of the cam-controlled lever 30 has moved into the recessed portion ofthe cam, with the result that the drag links '28 and 29 are pulleddownwardly. This action is communicated to the cranked levers 26 and 27.This in turn pulls up the control links 24 and 25, which opens the twosets of rollers against the spring-loading to the position shown in Fig.3 and so discharges the rolled and/ or wrapped paper. By this time,another paper is being fed by the roller 40 so that the operation can berepeated.

When periodicals are to be rolled, the placing of a tray 77 at thebottom of the bracket 18 will support the bottom end of the periodicalwhilst it is being rolled as it will not normally be supported by theholding roller 38.

In the claims when reference is made to newspapers or papers, this termis to be deemed to include periodicals and the like.

I claim:

1. A machine for rolling newspapers and the like comprising two sets ofresiliently mounted circumferentially spaced rollers, means for feedinga paper in a substantially fiat condition to a position between said twosets of rollers, said rollers being parallel to the face of the paper, apair of co-axial and axially spaced pronged members arranged to movetowards and away from each other parallel to and between said two setsof rollers, means for rotating said pronged members, cam operated meansfor moving said pronged members quickly towards each other to embracethe side edges of the paper towards the center thereof with said prongsdisposed on both faces of the paper and withdrawing said pronged membersslowly as the rolling action is completed, cam operated link means formoving said two sets of rollers apart so that the rolled paperdischarges under gravity and a lost motion mechanism incorporated insaid means for rotating said pronged members for stopping the rotationof such members while they are being moved towards each other to embracethe side edges of the paper.

2. A machine for rolling newspapersand the like comprising two sets ofresiliently mounted circumferentially spaced rollers, means for feedinga paper in a substantially flat condition to a position between said twosets of rollers, brackets at each end of each set of rollers supportingsaid rollers parallel to the face of the paper, a pair of co-axial andaxially spaced pronged members arranged to move towards and away fromeach other parallel to and between said two sets of rollers, means forrotating said pronged members, cam operated means for moving saidpronged members quickly towards each other to embrace the side edges ofthe paper towards the center thereof with said prongs disposed on bothfaces of the paper and withdrawing said pronged members slowly as therolling action is completed, supporting links connected at one end toeach of said brackets, control links conected at one end to each of saidbrackets, cranked levers connected to the other end of said links, a camcontrolled lever, drag links connecting said cranked levers to said camcontrolled lever so that operation thereof causes said sets of rollersto move apart so that the rolled paper discharges under gravity, aspring loaded bolt connecting said supporting links to hold said twosets of rollers together, and a lost motion mechanism incorporated insaid means for rotating said pronged members for stopping the rotationof such members while they are being moved towards each other to embracethe side edges of the paper.

3. A machine for rolling newspapers and the like comprising two sets ofresiliently mounted circumferentially spaced rollers, means for feedinga paper in a substantially flat condition to a position between said twosets of spaced rollers, said rollers being parallel to the face of thepaper, a pair of coaxial and axially spaced pronged members arranged tomove towards and away from each other parallel to and between said twosets of rollers, means for rotating said pronged members, a plurality ofthrust rods, a cam operating one of said thrust rods on each side, aspring loaded link connected to each thrust rod, a double thrust collarmounted on the end of said pronged member being engaged by said link,the cam operating said thrust rod being arranged so that said prongedmembers are drawn apart slowly as the rolling action is completed andsaid pronged members are moved quickly towards each other to embrace theside edges of the paper, cam operated link means for moving said twosets of rollers apart so that the rolled paper discharges under gravityand a lost motion mechanism incorporated in said means for rotating saidpronged members for stopping momentarily the rotation of such memberswhile they are being moved towards each other to embrace the side edgesof the paper.

4. A machine for rolling newspapers and the like as claimed in claim 3,wherein a loose chain is provided for driving said pronged members, aroller alternately moves the slack of said chain from the top to thebottom and an arm carrying said roller is connected to said linkengaging said double thrust collar on the end of said pronged members.

5. A machine for rolling newspapers and the like comprising thecombination of a frame, a driven shaft supported by said frame, a cammounted on said shaft, a cam lever engaging said cam for being operatedthereby, two brackets supported from both sides of said frame, inwardlyfacing rollers supported by said brackets in circumferentially spacedpositions, a supporting link pivoted to each bracket, spring-loadingbetween said supporting links tending to hold said brackets together, acontrol link pivoted to each bracket, levers connected to the other endof said control links, and drag links pivotally mounted on said levers,the other end of said drag links being pivotally connected to saidcam-operated lever so that movement of said cam causes movement of saiddrag links and thereby through said control links opens out said rollerssupported by said brackets against spring action or allows them to cometogether with such action, a pair of co-axial and axially spaced prongedmembers arranged to move towards and away from each other parallel toand between said inwardly facing rollers, means for feeding a'paper in asubstantially flat condition to a position between said inwardly facingrollers, means for rotating said pronged members, cam operated means formoving said pronged members quickly towards each other to embrace theside edges of the paper towards the center thereof with said prongsdisposed on both faces of the paper and withdraw ing said prongedmembers slowly as the rolling action is completed and a lost motionmechanism incorporated in said means for rotating said pronged membersfor stopping momentarily the rotation of such members while they arebeing moved towards each other to embrace the side edges of the paper.

6. A machine for rolling newspapers and the like comprising thecombination of a frame, a driven shaft supported by said frame, a cammounted on said shaft, a cam lever engaging said cam for being operatedthereby, two

brackets supported from both sides of said frame, inwardly facingrollers supported by said brackets in circumferentially spacedpositions, a supporting link pivoted to each bracket, spring-loadingbetween the supporting links tending to hold said brackets together, acontrol link pivoted to each bracket, levers connected to the other endof said control links, and drag links pivotally connected to saidlevers, the other end of said drag links being pivotally connected tosaid cam-operated lever so that movement of said cam causes movement ofsaid drag links and thereby through said control links opens out saidrollers supported by said brackets against spring action or allows themto come together with such action, a pair of co-axial and axially spacedpronged members arranged to move towards and away from each otherparallel to and between said inwardly facing rollers, means for feedinga paper in a substantially flat condition to a position between saidinwardly facing rollers, means for rotating said pronged members, camoperated means for moving said pronged members quickly towards eachother toembrace the side edges of the paper towards the center thereofwith said. prongs disposed on both faces of the paper and withdrawingsaid pronged members slowly as the rolling action is completed and alost motion mechanism incorporated in said means for rotating saidpronged members for stepping momentarily the rotation of such memberswhile they are being moved towards each other to embrace the side edgesof the paper including a drag link for operating an extension of one ofsaid levers, a feed control rod pivoted to such extension, a housing, aholding roller supported by said housing operated by the spring loadingof said feed control rod, a feed roller, a control rod operating saidfeed roller against a spring-loading from said housing of said holdingroller.

7. A machine for rolling newspapers and the like as claimed in claim 6including an interlocking disc, an interlocking lever connected thereto,a trip lever released by said interlocking lever, a cranked lever, alink one end of which is pivoted to said trip lever and the other end ofwhich is pivoted to said cranked lever, and pawls linked to said crankedlever controlling the position of said feed roller.

8. A machine for rolling newspapers and the like as claimed in claim 6including continuously operated rollers placed below said feed rollerand said holding roller, a feed table slotted in line with the top partof said continuously operating rollers, and a roll of gummed wrappingpaper placed so that paper can be fed in where the newspaper is beingrolled.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

